--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Often people think they know what they…" description: "\"Often people think they know what they want, but what they really want is something that's genuine. So they'll be saying, \"Do another one like that,\" b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/benji-madden-4055_long_often-people-think-they-know-what-they-w_3018581.jpg" --- # Often people think they know what they want, but what they… ![“Often people think they know what they want, but what they really want is something that's genuine. So they'll be saying, "Do another one like that," but you liked that one because it's real. So as long as I keep it real and I do something that's real to me, you're going to feel it in the same way.” quote by Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/benji-madden-4055_long_often-people-think-they-know-what-they-w_3018581.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/benji-madden-4055_long_often-people-think-they-know-what-they-w_3018581.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/benji-madden-4055_long_often-people-think-they-know-what-they-w_3018581.jpg) > “Often people think they know what they want, but what they really want is something that's genuine. So they'll be saying, "Do another one like that," but you liked that one because it's real. So as long as I keep it real and I do something that's real to me, you're going to feel it in the same way.” [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Genuine expression resonates more than imitation; authenticity drives audience connection. **In simple terms:** Realness beats copying. Key Takeaway Stay true to personal vision. Themes authenticity creativity audience Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - songwriting - live performance - social media Key Concepts artistic integrity self‑expression Questions to Reflect On - What defines 'real' for different listeners? - How to balance authenticity with commercial appeal? A Different Perspective Market trends may favor formulaic hits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think, a lot of times, people think they know what they want, but what they really want is something that's genuine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/i-think-a-lot-of-times-people-think-they-know-what-they-want-but-what/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [“I liked the imaginary people on the entertainment feed way more than I liked real ones, but you can’t have one without the other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/i-liked-the-imaginary-people-on-the-entertainment-feed-way-more-than/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [We brought what we liked from the real world into our videos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dusty-hill/we-brought-what-we-liked-from-the-real-world-into-our-videos/) [Dusty Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dusty-hill/) > [“She could see it so clear. She could picture every room, inside every house. And the more she could imagine this island, the less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/she-could-see-it-so-clear-she-could-picture-every-room-inside-every/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [And the more she could imagine this island, the less she liked the real world. The more she could imagine the people, the less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/and-the-more-she-could-imagine-this-island-the-less-she-liked-the/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Without that thick skin and a clear vision of what it is you want to do, what it is you know you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-boss/without-that-thick-skin-and-a-clear-vision-of-what-it-is-you-want-to/) [Stephen Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-boss/) > [If you really know... what you want and how to get there, then everything else really falls into place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlen-esparza/if-you-really-know-what-you-want-and-how-to-get-there-then-everything/) [Marlen Esparza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlen-esparza/) > [“Now that I know there’s more? I want to have more. If there really is more to life, I want to live all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/now-that-i-know-there-s-more-i-want-to-have-more-if-there-really-is/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [When I have a chunk of time that I can really dedicate to music, I really want to get into it. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-micarelli/when-i-have-a-chunk-of-time-that-i-can-really-dedicate-to-music-i/) [Lucia Micarelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-micarelli/) > [I want to have babies one day but not right now. When I do it I want to do it really well. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-want-to-have-babies-one-day-but-not-right-now-when-i-do-it-i-want/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [But the fact is, nobody gets off drugs unless they really want to, and I really wanted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-sheedy/but-the-fact-is-nobody-gets-off-drugs-unless-they-really-want-to-and/) [Ally Sheedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-sheedy/) > [There is a serious discrepancy between what we really wants, and what we usually do to get what we think we want. What we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/there-is-a-serious-discrepancy-between-what-we-really-wants-and-what/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [I tell them, 'If you really want to do it. Do it.' If you really want to do something, you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/i-tell-them-if-you-really-want-to-do-it-do-it-if-you-really-want-to/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/what-we-really-want-to-do-is-what-we-are-really-meant-to-do/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [Whatever you want too much you can't have, so when you really want something, try to want it a little less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-rosenberg/whatever-you-want-too-much-you-can-t-have-so-when-you-really-want/) [Joel Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-rosenberg/) ## More by Benji Madden > [Start enjoying the things you like about yourself, and if there are things you want to change, either get to work on it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/start-enjoying-the-things-you-like-about-yourself-and-if-there-are/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [One of the most harmful things in the music industry is 'record-by-committee,' where 10 people from the label gather around, and they make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/one-of-the-most-harmful-things-in-the-music-industry-is-record-by/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [All the best songs are, I think, the easiest write because they just come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/all-the-best-songs-are-i-think-the-easiest-write-because-they-just/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [There's this wave of new pop-punk bands that has come out that's bigger than ever. I'm really glad that we got to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/there-s-this-wave-of-new-pop-punk-bands-that-has-come-out-that-s/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [Every time we go to New Zealand, it gets harder to leave. Everyone's always treated us like we're at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/every-time-we-go-to-new-zealand-it-gets-harder-to-leave-everyone-s/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [We were all 16 and 17. When you're that age, you're just daydreaming all day. We had bands we loved - Green Day, Weezer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/we-were-all-16-and-17-when-you-re-that-age-you-re-just-daydreaming/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [I've done plenty of phoners for Joel when he's been too busy. You'll never know. Our voices sound so similar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/i-ve-done-plenty-of-phoners-for-joel-when-he-s-been-too-busy-you-ll/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [When you're making an album, it's kind of like having a baby. You have to really put everything into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/when-you-re-making-an-album-it-s-kind-of-like-having-a-baby-you-have/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [The whole time you're bouncing ideas off each other, you continue to try and push the songs as far as you can take them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/the-whole-time-you-re-bouncing-ideas-off-each-other-you-continue-to/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [I didn't fly on a plane until I was 19.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/i-didn-t-fly-on-a-plane-until-i-was-19/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [I prefer a good review. A bad review that dismisses us... I take it with a grain of salt. I go, 'Okay, they didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/i-prefer-a-good-review-a-bad-review-that-dismisses-us-i-take-it-with/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [As hopeful as I am, there are some times in my life when I get to low points. Luckily, I still have music to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/as-hopeful-as-i-am-there-are-some-times-in-my-life-when-i-get-to-low/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [I think Good Charlotte has definitely always been for the underdogs and the misfits. We haven't ever really been the critics' darlings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/i-think-good-charlotte-has-definitely-always-been-for-the-underdogs/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [I really love 'Cold Song.' If anyone really listens to that song and thinks about their life, there's a lot of good material deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/i-really-love-cold-song-if-anyone-really-listens-to-that-song-and/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [Australian bands are so self-deprecating - then they go on stage and blow every other band off the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/australian-bands-are-so-self-deprecating-then-they-go-on-stage-and/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) [Explore all 117 Benji Madden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) ## More Long quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Contradictory precepts that have guided me for as long as I can remember: 1: I will live forever. 2: I will die tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/contradictory-precepts-that-have-guided-me-for-as-long-as-i-can/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/long-before-the-2016-presidential-campaign-confidential-sources-had/) [Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) Browse all 39,551 Long quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Often people think they know what they want, but what they really want is something that's genuine. 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